On-loan Liverpool midfielder Arthur Melo has labelled Gerard Pique a ‘football legend’ on Instagram after he played his final game for Barcelona during their 2-0 win against Almeria on Saturday evening in La Liga.
The 35-year-old has decided to hang up his boots, nearly two decades after the fresh-faced teenager introduced himself to the footballing stage by donning the colours of Manchester United, with the no-nonsense Roy Keane as his captain and the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson in the Old Trafford dugout.
Take your pick. Pique has won the lot. From Champions League glory with Barcelona, where he produced an outstanding partnership alongside the all-action Carlos Puyol at the heart of the Catalonia defence.
To also becoming the champions of the world for his beloved Spain, where he built a fearsome partnership alongside his club rival Sergio Ramos.
Liverpool’s summer arrival, Arthur Melo, who is out with a long-term injury, would have seen what Pique was like first-hand, during his days at the Nou Camp.
And when the retired centre-back was emotional on the pitch after saying his goodbye to his fans, this was the message Arthur Melo sent him.
“It was a pleasure to play alongside you and meet the football legend, Pique,” said Arthur Melo. “More than that, it was a privilege to meet the human, Gerard.
“Thanks for all the advice and for looking out for me when I needed it most. I wish you the best in your life today and always.”
PIQUE IS ONE OF THE GREATS
Things didn’t work out for Pique at Old Trafford, but that was no bother because he picked himself up and let his football do the talking in a spectacular fashion.
One of his old teammates in Xavi has decided to hang up his boots for the stress on the touchline, but it doesn’t seem as though Pique will go down that road.
Instead, he could push to be the ‘president’ of Barcelona one day and make the bigger and more important calls at the top of the tree, as reported by ESPN.
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